


Family

by BlindBunny



Series: Songs [4]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Abusive Parents, Adopted Mordred, Adopted Morgana, Adoption, Alpha Arthur, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, BAMF Merlin (Merlin), Balinor Lives (Merlin), Caring Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Caring Merlin (Merlin), Character Turned Into a Ghost, Consensual Underage Sex, Druids, F/F, Gen, Ghosts, Good Mordred (Merlin), Good Morgana (Merlin), Gwen and Morgana have kids, Heartbreak, Homophobia, Implied Childhood Sexual Abuse, Implied Reincarnation, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Underage Sex, Inspired by Music, Kid Fic, Kid Mordred (Merlin), Kid Morgana, King Merlin (Merlin), M/M, Mates, Minor Gwen/Morgana (Merlin), Mordred and Morgana are siblings, Omega Merlin (Merlin), Poor Mordred, Poor Morgana, Reincarnation, Royal Merlin (Merlin), Time Skips, Uther Pendragon Dies (Merlin), king arthur - Freeform, magic is legal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-04
Updated: 2019-10-04
Packaged: 2020-11-23 11:47:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20891600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlindBunny/pseuds/BlindBunny
Summary: Inspired by Apashe - Sand Stormhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxF_hHV79aE





	Family

**Author's Note:**

> Not gonna lie, I wanted all of my songs inspired stories to not go over 1.5k words but I went a little overboard with this one and got it to 4k words ^^' Enjoy! And if there are any songs you want me to take inspiration from for Merlin stories, don't hesitate to comment it down!

Her little legs ache with the effort, chest clenching, and throat burning but she refuses to settle. She needs to run, she needs to confuse the angry stand seller so he will lose her trait and to make it home in one piece so she could feed her little brother the loaf of bread she just stole but the man's shouts get louder and louder and any moment now someone will answer his pleads and catch her for him.

Her bright colored eyes scan the area as she avoids hands throwing themselves at her in an attempt to catch her. She rushes through a big crowd, knowing her scent will be hard to follow by the alpha and take the first turn into an alley. Allowing herself to take a breath first, she stops and scans the alleyway. There are a bunch of crates stacked up on top of each other, giving her just enough of an opportunity to climb them and then help herself over the wall. She starts walking over when out of a sudden, a hand catches her by the shoulder and pulls her backward until she is thrown into the ground with the loaf held tightly to her chest. It's the same alpha with his red eyes flashing and fangs poking at his bottom lip and claws ready to maul.

The man raises his hand at her, causing her to flinch back and shut close her eyes tightly. She is waiting for the strike... and waiting... but it never comes but she can feel something heavy dropping bit by bit on her face and she can't help but open her eyes and look up at the alpha only to find him being blinded. There are long fingers stuck deep into his eyeballs, petite fingers belonging to an equally petite hand, followed by a thin tattooed wrist. In a shift motion, the person takes their hand back and along come the eyeballs and the optic nerve. The alpha is so shocked that he can't even scream in pain and instead falls to his knees, covers his empty eye sockets with his palms before he starts gasping as if out of breath. 

"Filthy mutt." A voice behind her mutters. "Who do think you are? Grabbing an omega child like that..." It's low but not dangerously so, high pitch and soft enough to be recognized as the voice of an omega. "Get up and tell me your name, petal." The word confuses her because it's not the usual endearment but it sounds like one, just as soft and warm and genuine. For the first time, she turns to face her savior and is greeted by the sight of a tall, lithe man with ridiculously big ears but the fluffiest, softest hair the girl has ever seen. His fingers are bloody, as he just disposed of the eyes but the royal red cloak that covers him whole looks clean even when the alpha faints next to them and causes dust to rise.

"I am Morgana." She finds herself saying, still sitting on the dusty ground until a hand reaches out of her to take. Morgana takes it and lets herself be dragged up to her feet. She takes the few seconds she has while her hand is held to examine the tattoo on the omega's wrist; a withering rose with petals falling off of it and the endearment suddenly makes sense to her. 

"Why did you steal from him, Morgana?"

"My little brother needs to eat, he is sick! He will never get better without food but I don't have enough gold to buy it." Despite always telling herself that she has control over it, her eyes glow golden before she can even attempt to stop them but the omega... He doesn't look scared. In fact, he... he flashes his own eyes back at her!

"Is your brother also magic?" 

"He is but– but he can't control it." 

"Morgana... My name is Emrys. Would you please lead the way to your brother?"

* * *

It's the same day that Morgana goes from sleeping on a makeshift bed made of thin blankets to having an actual bed. The room she has been given is huge, with a big bed pushed in the middle of a wall, with giant windows revealing early snow and with a closet already filled with clothes and shoes. There are a desk and a chair right under the windows and a filled bookcase somewhere next to the bed. 

Mordred has been given a room similar to hers, only drawers filled with different clothing to fit him.

They have both been bathed by George, a servant Emrys has put in charge of taking care of the two siblings. They've been fed and now it's time for them to go see king Arthur and his omega mate Emrys. Neither Morgana nor Mordred tries to remember the way back, too occupied by admiring everything around them from the pretty design carved into the doors to the beautiful portraits on the walls to the tall, handsome knights they pass by on their way to the throne room. 

When they finally make it there, to a double door guarded by two tall men with spears, Morgana notices other kids waiting but it seems now that Morgana and Mordred are here, the doors can be pushed open. Two by two the kids enter the throne room, walking up to the small platform that holds the thrones. A blond man, presumably King Arthur, sits in his throne but Emrys is not, instead he chose to stand to Arthur's side which didn't stop Arthur from still wrapping an arm around Merlin's waist.

Everyone bows down to them, even little Mordred who needs a little bit of encouragement from his sister.

"I hope the rooms my mate has prepared are to your liking." Arthur begins first, smirk on his face as he speaks. "Merlin has brought you all here in hope to teach you how to control your magic. It might take a few years but by the end of your training, you will be given important positions in the kingdom."

"Some of you will be in my care," Merlin takes over "and some of you will be in our physician's care, Gaius while some of you will be taught by my father, Balinor. It's up to you and what you want to learn about magic that will tell who will train you." Merlin makes his way down the platform just as two men enter the room. Emrys introduces them as their Court Physician and as their Court Magic Creatures Handler. He sends one of them to the right and one of them to the left and he remains in the middle. "Those who want to learn how to heal, go to Gaius please." Four out of ten move over. "Those who want to learn about magical creatures and how to take care of them, go to my father." Again, four children make their way over, leaving Mordred and Morgana the only kids left without a teacher. Emrys doesn't seem disappointed, he even kneels and beckons the two forward. "You don't have to choose me." He tells them, but Mordred stumbles forward and right into his arms and Morgana follows. She doesn't hug Merlin, but her petite hand grabs at his cloak and grips and tugs as if saying 'I'm here too'.

* * *

Morgana is 10 and has been learning magic for 3 months now. Merlin has been nothing but patient with her, praising her and gently scolding when she got ahead of herself or used spells without his permission. He never hit her or yelled at her but he would punish her with extra reading and writing lessons. She threw a tantrum at first, which he promptly ignored until she was done and exhausted by her frustration. 

Plus, after hearing Gaius' punishment for his students, Morgana cannot be more than grateful that she chose Merlin. She would rather write and rewrite and re-rewrite everything than clean out the leeches tank. 

Of course, Mordred doesn't go unpunished, but since he is only 5 years old, Merlin had to find alternatives. Every time Mordred chooses to misbehave, either by disappearing from the guards' sight without telling anyone at all or using magic to get what he wants like baby Merlin once used to do, he is not allowed anything sweet for the rest of the day and if there are multiple misbehaving activities -as Arthur jokingly calls them just to annoy Merlin- in one day, he doesn't get anything sweet for the rest of the week.

It's all still better than their own father's punishments which consisted of yelling, spanking, slapping and starving them. Compared to that, living in the castle with Merlin and Arthur is heaven.

* * *

Morgana at 11 is quiet, blushed and clumsy. She has a crush on one of the knights, Gwaine he calls himself, and despite knowing he is too old for her, Morgana still finds herself blushing and trying to hide whenever the man is around. If Gwaine notices her attempts, he never mentions them nor laughs at her for tripping over her legs while trying to find a hiding spot.

Mordred is the opposite of Morgana whenever around his sister or Merlin. He speaks and speaks and speaks some more, telling his sister everything about any new spell Merlin has just finished teaching him. He is dead silent around everyone else and if approached too quickly, he flinches and runs away to Arthur and Merlin's room. If the Court Sorcerer is not there, the King will have to make do.

Even one year later, Arthur is still extra careful around the kids and has been ever since he cursed in front of one of the girls and she repeated right after. It didn't sit well with Gaius, the girl's mentor, and it sure as all hell didn't sit well with Merlin who refused to sleep with Arthur that night. 

Merlin though... Merlin is good with them, so good that Arthur wishes they could have kids of their own. They would love their blood and the children they took in all the same, but Arthur wished Merlin could be pregnant just so he could fuss all over the sorcerer and have an excuse to miss as many kingly duties as possible just to spend time with his pregnant beloved. Perhaps one day Arthur will tell Merlin about this dream of his but until then Merlin will pretend he doesn't know about it.

* * *

Morgana at 12 is complicated, especially once her maidenhood begins. It doesn't hurt her, not yet, but she is absolutely done with it and wants it to be over as soon as possible; all the baths she has to take in a day and all the clothes she has to change and the constant headache that sits right on top of her head and refuses to get down. 

But now she is a big girl, a whole 2 years older than she was when she arrived. Now, just as promised, Merlin has to let her learn how to fight like a knight and he will, he said so, right after the Bloody Week is over with. 

Mordred at 7 is adorable. He is taller than your average child but he is an adorable sight nonetheless with his big eyes and longish curly hair and oversized tunics that Merlin lets him steal. 

* * *

Morgana is 13 the first time she wins a duel. They celebrate with a feast, inviting not only neighboring kingdoms but also the older dragons.

Mordred is 8 when he realizes Merlin and Arthur are mates and not simply close friends. He has heard his father saying it's unnatural and disgusting and so, he avoids them as much as possible.

* * *

Morgana is 14 when she is finally knighted. Gwaine ruffles her hair, messing it out of its ponytail and calls her a 'lady warrior' with such a genuine smile that Morgans feels like melting. Merlin hugs her close to his chest while Arthur looks over her proudly. 

Mordred is 9 when Arthur confronts him, making him confess why he's been avoiding him and his mate. With tears running down his cheeks, Mordred calls them disgusting, an abomination and apologizes in the same breath because he is just repeating words that don't match his feelings and he hopes that the king will understand. It's Arthur Pendragon so of course he does. 

* * *

Morgana is 15 when she kisses Gwen for the first time. It's clumsy, awkward and rushed but lips are soft, gentle and sweet and the hug that follows is filled with reassurance. 

Mordred is 10 when he breaks his first bone. He cries and cries and only Merlin's embrace calms his down but in the end, it's Arthur holding a speech that has Mordred putting on a brave face as Gaius fixes him up.

* * *

Morgana is 16 when she falls into bed with Gwen and is scolded the next day. She is not yelled at nor told to never do it again. She is not taken away and neither is Gwen. Arthur merely reminds them both to close and lock doors behind them, to be careful and to enjoy themselves but it's an embarrassing talk nonetheless. Arthur, the bastard, enjoyed the talk way too much.

Mordred is 11 when the princess of a neighboring kingdom catches his eyes but he is too shy to approach her. He magics up flowers in her room every day as he is too shy to write letters but it doesn't matter because eventually she has to go back and it breaks Mordred's little heart and it's Arthur that manages to put it back together.

* * *

Morgana is now 17 and Mordred is 12. They have both aged and changed, their hair curlier and skin paler and eyes brighter than they have ever been.

Mordred is now training to be a knight with the Roses, the official knights of Camelot. He's grown taller and faster, speaking more and more as time goes by. Morgana can still remember the time when Emrys had to speak telepathically with him because the little boy refused to speak out loud and despite Emrys being the only one Mordred speaks to the most -aside from Morgana-, his older sister is happy to see him able of expressing himself.

Morgana herself has grown taller but quieter. She calculates her words carefully before saying them but she does not hold back whatsoever. She might say little, but her words now hold the power she always wanted them to have. She too trained with the Roses, just to prove she could, but now she spends most days following Emrys, reading and taking care of Mordred or spending time with Gwen whenever the servant girl has a little bit of freedom from her chores. Soon, Morgana will be allowed to choose a servant of her own and she already knows that she wants Gwen. She can't wait to be of age so she could properly court Gwen but until then Morgana is the adopted child of the royal family and Gwen is nothing more than a servant girl.

But things will change. They always do. Morgana knows it.

Everyone has changed a little bit. Everyone except Arthur and Emrys. They look just as young as that day in the throne room, they are just as kind and just as fair as they have always been. But, Morgana thinks, she can see the little changes that no one else can or that no one bothers to find.

Emrys is more powerful now, but that comes with his age and the strength of his bond with Arthur. He often accompanies Gaius in herb picking, which he encourages the young sorcerers to do as well. Once a week, he goes out into the forest to visit the dragons and to fly with them for a few hours. He spends less time reading himself away in the library and more time showing Morgana how to do different, everyday spells.

Arthur himself seems less busy nowadays as if he finally has settled down and he can let himself rest. He still takes the utmost care of Camelot, but now he smiles more, has been trained less and has been seen walking around the kingdom with Merlin at his side as if they have just been wedded and therefore inseparable.

Overall, the kingdom hasn't changed much. Camelot is in good shape, has been ever since the downfall of Uther and the removal of the ban on magic. The druids are now one of them, walking the ground of Camelot without fear of execution but druids have always been nomads so they mostly travel, come back for a few weeks to rest and then they leave again. 

Out of the magical citizens, some use spells to warm up houses in the winter so fewer trees are to be cut. They magic up the fields for more food, they purify the waters and some have even joined the army to help them prepare for magical attacks if war comes to push. 

Those that chose to work as servants in the castle heat up the water for baths so it doesn't take hours and hours and hours for enough bathwater to be boiled. They repair things, like Gaius' handrail because the man insists on leaning into it every single day and the roof of the castle, using magic that takes minutes instead of labor work of hours or even days. Some even help in the kitchen, multiplying the food and the wine with a simple spell. But no one touches the armory, as instructed by Merlin himself; the armory is George's little heaven and he doesn't want to take it away from him.

"My sweet petal, what's the matter?"

"I've been thinking..."

"That's always dangerous." Jokes Arthur, earning a glare from both Morgana and Merlin.

"Are you two actually immortal?"

"Well, Merlin is. The only reason I've got to get to this age is by association. Since you two are so close to Merlin, you might be as well." But they're not, Morgana knows. Both siblings have aged and changed and the two mates didn't. "Merlin's magic is unpredictable in the best of ways. Immortal or not, I was thinking of stepping down soon." 

Merlin gave him a proud look, as if it was something they have discussed multiple times and that Arthur had a hard time getting used to.

"But... you don't have an heir." Mordred's words come out slurred, his fists trying to rub the sleep away from his eyes but he leans more into Merlin with every passing minute. 

"I was thinking about you taking over, you know?" Arthur tells Morgana.

"But I'm a girl." She knows it sounds silly, she was knighted after all! But being Queen is an entirely different matter. "And I'm not of your blood."

"Blood does not always make one family." Merlin says, expression suddenly sour. "We have considered the two of you our children for so long now. And if you're not immortal, we want you to have this. Consider it a mere gift."

"Camelot is not a mere gift." She insists. "It is a grand one that I don't think I can accept." One year, Arthur suggests next. 

"Rule next to me for one year, see how you like it. If it is truly not something you want to do, I wouldn't force you nor Mordred to take over." Said boy is asleep in Merlin's embrace, covered by the man's red cloak to be kept warm.

Reluctantly, Morgana agrees because the way her little brother seems so content in his sleep, after years and years of taking hours to even fall asleep because he was so afraid of his nightmares -something else Merlin helped with-. Morgana thinks this can be an opportunity to show how grateful she is for everything they've done for her and Mordred.

* * *

Morgana is 51 when she dies as the Queen. Incurable, Merlin has been told but he has tried to help. Tried to heal it with herbs, with oils, with magic but in the end, a priestess of the Old Religion has told him the only way she can be saved is to sacrifice someone else.

"A soul for a soul." The priestess has said.

"Absolutely not." Morgana, bedridden but still loud and confident with her words. "Every soul is precious, I refuse to let you take someone's soul just so I get to keep mine. I will hate you forever if you do." And so, Merlin had to let her go.

Everyone has spent as much time with her as possible.

Her two daughters constantly at her side, refusing to leave her chambers. 

Her mate, Gwen, had long died at a young age but her ghost has stayed behind, promising to wait for Morgana so they can join the afterlife together. 

Mordred spent every night at her sister's side, refusing to go to sleep and letting her die alone.

Mordred has refused the throne on multiple occasions. Morgana's daughters, both married to kings of other kingdoms, have no interest in Camelot and so, Arthur has to go back to his kingly duties. Merlin helps him but he visits Morgana as often as possible. Arthur visits, sometimes falling asleep in his chair and Morgana watches over him with tired but warm eyes.

It takes weeks but Morgana finally finds her rest. It has been predicted for a while now so the royal families have been at her side for days, waiting and only leaving for privacy but coming back as soon as possible. 

For a few hours, she stays unmoving but breathing, her chest still rising with every breath. It's her ghost sitting up that alerts everyone and puts everyone on their feet. Of course, they all spend a few hours in her company now that Morgana is not straining herself by simply speaking. She is showered in love, just as always, but for once the worry is gone.

Her daughters are the first to say goodbye, wishing their mothers a happy ever after.

Mordred is next, wishing more than ever that he could hug his sister.

Arthur and Merlin don't cry, they smile as they say goodbye, knowing Morgana doesn't want them to be sad. After all those months of sickness and exhaustion, dying feels like freedom, Morgana tells them, and _perhaps_, Merlin thinks,_ it is to be celebrated_. 

* * *

Mordred dies of old age with Arthur and Merlin at his side. He's never had kids or a mate, choosing to spend the rest of his life with the druids after Morgana's death.

At first, he only left because he was mad at Merlin. He yelled at Emrys, calling him a selfish coward, demanding answers out of him and then storming off.

Life with the druids wasn't easy, but it helped him find a focus point, an anchor that wasn't connected to his pain and grief and sorrow, and only then did he go back.

He was already 55 by then but Merlin and Arthur welcomed him back with open arms. They looked just as young as the day he and his sister were taken in, but they still felt like parents. The acceptance, the forgiveness, and the support made Mordred feel like a child again but he bathed in them until his last breath at the age of 90.

"It's okay, Mordred. You can let go." He closes his eyes, enjoying the hand that runs through his grey hair. "We are right here for you, there is nothing to worry about." The words sound like a lullaby, one that puts him to his eternal sleep. "We will meet again, one day." 


End file.
